Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Cat Royal, French Revolution, Julia Golding
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Our rating: 
Cat Royal’s patron Mr. Sheridan is tearing down his London theatre so he can build a bigger one. There’s just a small problem with that: the theatre is Cat’s home! Realizing what he’s done, Mr. Sheridan sends Cat to France to do some spying for him. When Cat gets there, she immediately gets tangled up in the French Revolution and enters a dangerous world where everything hangs on the will of the people.
As is the usual Cat Royal formula, Cat finds herself in a complicated situation that is quite tense and edge-of-your-seat exciting. The storyline here is excellent, the characters dimensional and complex. Unfortunately, all this greatness is marred by language that gets a little salty at times. Den of Thieves sets up a few events for the next Cat Royal book, which (not to spoil that review!) cut back a lot on the objectionable elements. All that to say that in my opinion, Den of Thieves is probably the low point of the series. But keep going, as the next one is much better.
Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mysteries, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Julia Golding
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Pedro, Cat Royal’s good friend, is finally settling into his new life in the Theatre Royal after the events in the first book, The Diamond of Drury Lane. All seems well, until Pedro’s former master appears and claims Pedro as his rightful property. Cat is determined to stop the dangerous man from taking away her friend, but with old enemies looming on the horizon she finds it much harder than she ever imagined.
Another Cat story well told. The style is quite enjoyable, and the authoress paints a very vivid picture of life in Britain in 1790. However. I would not give this book to anyone under thirteen, and I would think twice before recommending it to anyone under fifteen. The nasty language increased drastically—both in amount and stoutness—and some of the subject matter is on the border line of being uncomfortable, especially for younger readers. These books excite the adventurer in me, but I really don’t want to get hooked on books focusing on gangs, in which the heroine winds up risking jail because of her actions. It’s a clear picture of life in the streets, but not something I want to be filling my head with nonstop.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mysteries, Older Readers, Review
Tags:French Revolution, Julia Golding, nobility, stage plays, thieves
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Our rating:
Catherine “Cat” Royal is a streetwise orphan who lives in the theatre at Drury Lane. As London is in an uproar over the French Revolution, Cat is thrust into dangerous political intrigue when Mr. Sheridan, the owner of Drury Lane Theatre, entrusts Cat with the secret that a diamond is hidden in the theatre. If that wasn’t enough, a London gang finds out and will stop at nothing to make Cat reveal the diamond’s location.
This book has a plot full of intrigue and mystery that will keep you turning pages until the final twist. Julia Golding masterfully describes both the gentry and commoners and their feelings about the rise of liberty. Though I did figure out the main plot thread before it was revealed, I was quite surprised by a number of places in the story. One little warning: The Diamond of Drury Lane takes place mostly on and around the streets of 18th century London. The very dirty streets of 18th century London. Get the picture? Other than that (and it’s really quite minor), this one’s a definite keeper.
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